


Bloom

by Frostly



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Anal Sex, Cat Hybrid Minseok, Cat/Human Hybrids, Fluff, Hybrids, Jongin just wants to love him, Kissing, M/M, Minseok is a little shit, Smut, Strangers to Lovers, Stray Cat/Homeless, Topping from the Bottom, also a little, and wrap him in a blanket, cuteness, hehe, sad past, some jealousy, wink wink
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-08
Updated: 2019-06-08
Packaged: 2020-04-23 01:55:46
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 16,941
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19141246
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Frostly/pseuds/Frostly
Summary: Jongin does a double take, eyes blinking hard.It’s not a man, it’s… ahybrid.The nervous swish of a tail catches his eyes.Acathybrid.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hiiiiiiiiiiiiii 
> 
> I'm back with another story and this time it's XIUKAI !!!!! Wooo !!!! 
> 
> Writing this was literal hell! I don't know why but it was super super difficult for me and I literally hated every single scene I was writing... now it's better though! I kept coming back, adding and deleting stuff again and again, and now I am mostly satisfied with it! There are still some things that make my eye twitch lol but I don't hate this story anymore haha <3
> 
> HUGE HUGE HUGE thanks to my wonderful, amazing beta!!!!! I've been absolutely insufferable, constantly whining and crying over everything lol, but she's stuck with me and helped me so so SO much. I LOVE YOU!!!!!! 
> 
> I'm so excited, this is my first (of many woops) xiukai fic and I couldn't wait to post it!!!!!!! 
> 
> XIUKAI NATION RISE

Jongin has a bounce in his step as he walks down the street, the smell of fried chicken coming from the two bags of takeaway boxes in his hands wafting over him and making a small smile spread over his lips.

Today had been hell at the office because of problems with the new computer network and Jongin, being the office I.T. assistant, had spent hours trying to find and fix the damned bug, his boss breathing down his neck the whole time. The moment he had stepped out of the building’s sliding doors, he had practically groaned in relief. He can’t wait to go home and plant himself face first on his couch with his dinner and watch dramas until he passes out. There’s a new historical one about a prince who disappears and comes back one hundred days later with his memory lost. Pretty highly rated too. Might be interesting, the male lead is handsome.

His phone beeps with a new notification and Jongin takes it out of his back pocket, the screen flashing with a new text. He starts to type out a reply, trying to balance the boxes on one arm at the same time, but a misstep makes him trip and lose balance. With a startled yelp, he tries to break his fall by throwing his weight against the wall of the building on his left but the force of the movement makes the bags fly out and right into a sidestreet.

“ _No_ ,” he cries out and quickly rights himself, cursing under his breath as he stands in front of the dimly lit alley. He pouts.

His _dinner_.  

He looks around himself for his phone, picking it up when he finds it a few feet away, and mumbles a quick thank you when he sees it’s not broken and the screen is miraculously still intact. He turns on the flashlight and starts looking for his dinner. Hopefully his precious chicken won’t be spilled all over the concrete.

The alley is silent as Jongin makes his way deeper into it, illuminating dirt and some trash littered around him with the light from his phone. He spots a few cardboard boxes further down and near those his bags, still intact and knotted tightly on top.

With a quiet cheer, he hurries forward and crouches down to claim his food, but just as he’s about to reach out a hand, a rustling sound coming from the boxes makes him still. He lifts his head, trailing his eyes slowly from the ground, and his heart stops when he comes face to face with a pair of glowing honey-coloured eyes. Another strangled yelp tears out of his throat and he jerks back, falling on his butt as he scrambles with his phone to point his flashlight in front of him.

His eyes land on a man crouched down in the middle of the cardboard boxes and Jongin's breath catches in his throat. The glaring beam of the flashlight highlights the man’s sharp features, which are captivating, even with the dirt smudged on his skin. He’s… he’s actually very beautiful.

The man moves, bowing his head with a pained expression, and the light catches on a pair of pointed, orange furry ears sticking out of the man’s dirty red hair.

Jongin does a double take, eyes blinking hard.

It’s not a man, it’s… a _hybrid_.

The nervous swish of a tail catches his eyes.

A _cat_ hybrid.

Jongin breaks out of his trance when the hybrid makes a hissing sound and it’s only then that he realizes he’s still pointing the flashlight right in his face.

“S-Sorry,” he stutters as he rushes to lower his phone to the ground.

The hybrid stays silent, watching him. Jongin takes in his defensive stance, sharp claws out and digging into the cardboard, and swallows nervously.

“I’m... I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to jump, you… you startled me,” he says, but the hybrid doesn’t say a word, sharp eyes never leaving Jongin.

“I just wanted to take these back…” he moves to his knees, slowly so not to startle the hybrid, and carefully reaches for his bags of takeaway. The hybrid tracks his every movement, muscles tense, but his eyes keep dropping to the food, nose twitching at the strong, tantalizing aroma.

Jongin notices and stops dragging the bags towards himself. He lets himself take a good look at the hybrid, as much as he can with the very low light of the alley, taking in his skinny form, the hollow of his cheeks, his tattered black hoodie and worn jeans.

“Are you hungry?”

The hybrid shifts his eyes to the side but then turns them back to glare defiantly at Jongin, chin jutted out, and Jongin shrinks a little, intimidated.

There’s a beat of silence in which they just stare at each other and then Jongin sighs, looking down at his bags. He can always find something at home.

“You can have them, if you want.”

The hybrid swallows but says nothing. Jongin leans towards him then, holding out the bags, but the hybrid’s ears flatten against his head and he lurches forward with a dangerous hiss.

“Woah,” Jongin jerks back once again, taken aback, and holds his hands up in a placating gesture but quickly brings them back down when that makes the hybrid hiss warningly again.

“I-I’m sorry,” he blurts out. “I’m sorry, I don’t mean to hurt you,” he feels slightly out of breath, heart beating fast in his chest. “I’ll just… I’ll just leave these here,” he says and slowly, carefully puts the bags on the ground, watching the hybrid for any sudden movement or sign of attack. “The food is yours. You can eat it.”

The hybrid doesn’t move, claws still out, but his ears slowly stick up again and he looks at Jongin, assessing. Jongin feels that gaze pierce through him and he does his best to return it as calmly as he can.

“I’llー I’ll go,” he says after a few moments of silence and stands up, distractedly dusting his jeans off with his hands. “Please eat,” he tells the hybrid and with one last look, he turns around to make his way back out of the alley.

As soon as he rounds the corner, he stops and takes a deep breath. That was… something. He looks over his shoulder, a strange feeling worming its way inside him, but he shrugs it away with a shake of his head.

With a sigh, he looks up to the night sky and suddenly all the stress and exhaustion of the day return, settling deep into his limbs.

Home. Couch. Dramas.

Jongin starts walking again.

There’s that last pack of instant ramen in his pantry waiting for him.

 

🜂

 

Thoughts of that hybrid in the alley haunt Jongin the whole night, keeping him distracted as he watches the new drama and making it hard for him to fall asleep, tossing and turning in his bed.

That’s how he finds himself in front of the café down the street the next morning, much earlier than when he usually has to wake up to go to work. He pushes open one of the heavy glass doors, the familiar smell of freshly baked goods and coffee tickling his nose, and makes his way to the counter.

“Soo,” he calls out for his best friend, making the short, black haired café owner stop wiping around the coffee machine and turn around, big eyes widening in slight surprise.  

“Jongin,” says Kyungsoo, smiling. “You’re here early, it’s not even time for lunch.”

“Yeah,” Jongin says, resting an arm on the counter. “I wanted to get breakfast.”

He’s already had a quick breakfast at home, but it’s not exactly a lie. He _is_ here to get breakfast, just not for himself.

“Oh,” Kyungsoo nods. “Sure, what do you want?”

“Um,” Jongin hums thoughtfully, scouring the menu displayed on the blackboard to his right. “I’ll have a toast with a fried egg on top and…”

What should he get? Coffee? Tea?

“And a latte.”

“Okay, coming right up.”

Jongin bites his lip. Will this be enough?

Kyungsoo makes to turn around but Jongin stops him. “Wait, um, make it two eggs. Please.”

“Hungry?” Kyungsoo chuckles as he turns to poke his head through the kitchen door to give the order, and Jongin gives him a sheepish smile.

“Something like that.”

When the food is ready, he asks Kyungsoo to put everything in a takeaway container and pays quickly, eyes on the clock on the wall, and gives him a wave and a thank you before exiting the café.

He takes the usual route to his office, but stops when in front of the same dirty sidestreet from yesterday. He feels suddenly nervous and worrying thoughts come unbidden to his mind.

What if he’s allergic to something? To _eggs_? He even got him two! What if he can’t eat any of the things he bought him? Cats can’t drink milk so what if he gets sick and ends up with painful stomach cramps because of Jongin or _worse_ ー

Jongin shakes it off and silently berates himself. He’s being ridiculous.

He’ll leave a note about the latte just in case, though.

He takes a deep breath and starts making his way in the alley, which is just as silent during the day as it is at night, and stops in front of the cardboard boxes, fingers tightening around the styrofoam container, the cup of latte balanced on top.

“Hello?” he calls out, soft and hesitant, but nothing moves. There’s no rustling, no glowing eyes giving him a heart attack, no _hissing_.

“Hello?” he repeats, a little louder, and takes another careful step closer to the boxes, trying to get a better look at the other side, but nothing comes out.

The hybrid isn’t here.

Jongin frowns, lips pursing into a pout as disappointment trickles down his throat and pools in his stomach.

“Okay then,” he says to no one, sighing, and sets the food on the ground. He slings his backpack down one shoulder and takes out a piece of paper and a pen, scribbling a quick warning regarding the latte that he leaves on the container before straightening up.

He looks absentmindedly down at his wristwatch as he slides on his backpack and startles when he sees the time. He’s going to be late for work, how did that even happen? He was _so_ early just a moment ago.

Thoughts about the hybrid are proving to be dangerously distracting...

He looks around himself one more time to ensure that the hybrid isn’t just hiding and watching him, and then he’s scurrying off to the office.

 

🜂

 

This strange ritual continues for another two days. Jongin makes sure to buy the hybrid something to eat, leaving it in front of the cardboard boxes before going to work and then again after leaving the office, but he never manages to catch the hybrid, though.

Until the third day.  

That evening, Jongin makes a quick stop to the grocery store after work, picking some rice and fresh produce and stopping to carefully choose two sandwiches for the hybrid. He seems to favor chicken ー just like him, he thinks a little fondly ー so Jongin makes his decisions based on that.

Later, he sets the food on the ground as usual but as he turns around he looks up only to see the hybrid standing at the mouth of the alley. Jongin jumps, gasping, and he feels himself freeze on the spot, almost feeling as if he was caught red-handed. This is the first time he has seen the hybrid since that first… encounter.

They stare at each other.

The hybrid is shorter than him, Jongin notices, still wearing that same black hoodie and jeans, his tail swishing lazily from side to side. He looks calm, but his eyes are still somewhat alert.

Jongin clears his throat. “Hi,” he says and when the hybrid says nothing in return, he bends down to grab the plastic bag with the sandwiches. “I… I brought you this.”

After a moment, the hybrid starts walking towards him and Jongin’s heart picks up in his chest. He stops a couple of feet from him, eyes still locked on Jongin’s face.

“You know I don’t need your charity.”

The hybrid’s voice is soft, less deep than Jongin’s and it takes a few seconds for Jongin to find his words.

“It’sー it’s not charity!” he blurts out and can’t stop a pout from forming on his lips. “I’m just … concerned.”

The hybrid just keeps looking at him, ears facing forward.

“It’s chicken?” Jongin says lamely, holding up the bag, and the hybrid lets out a breath through his nose. It almost sounds amused.

He takes the bag from Jongin’s grasp and takes out one of the sandwiches, tearing the wrapping with his small hands. His nails are blunt now, not clawed like that first night.

Jongin watches him as he brings the sandwich to his mouth, tearing a big bite out of it and letting out a small sigh as he chews. It seems to be to his liking and Jongin feels an odd mix of pleasure and pride. He gets a little lost in staring at his eyes, their honey colour captivating as it glows in the dim light of the alley.

“What’s your name?” he asks then, the words leaving his mouth before he can think, and the hybrid slowly lifts his eyes, gaze turning stony.

It makes Jongin shrink, bowing his head in mortification and, strangely enough, hurt.

“Sorry,” he says quietly, worrying the hem of his jacket. After a few seconds, he looks up to see the hybrid back to eating, his attention completely focused on the sandwich in his hand. “I’m Jongin, though,” he mumbles.

The hybrid looks up at that but, as usual, says nothing, he just stares and Jongin is starting to get a little disheartened. He doesn’t understand why. He doesn’t understand why he’s getting so involved with a stray hybrid and he doesn’t know why disappointment sits heavy in his stomach when said hybrid won’t even acknowledge him. Jongin doesn’t know and doesn’t understand, but he still finds himself kind of really wanting to hear that soft voice again.

“Well,” he sighs, defeated. “I’ll go,” and sidesteps the hybrid to walk out of the alley.

He’s just about to round the corner when he hears it.

“Thank you.”

Jongin whips around, but the hybrid is nowhere to be seen.

 

🜂

 

Jongin jumps where he’s lying on his couch when the first crack of thunder rolls in, rain suddenly starting to come down in a torrent. He throws a quick glance towards the windows and then focuses back on his drama.

He manages to watch another ten minutes of the episode, lulled by the sound of the rain hitting the glass, when another loud crack makes him jump once again, and then another, and he curls himself up tighter in his blanket.

Jongin isn’t scared of thunderstorms, he loves to fall asleep soothed by the pitter-patter of raindrops and the low rumbling of thunder, but these bursts are so sharp and booming that they make his heart beat rabbit-quick.

With his blanket wrapped around his shoulders like a cape, he stands up and goes to look out the nearest window. Outside is dark, the night sky laden with ominous, blackened clouds, and the streets are wet and deserted. It doesn’t seem like the storm will stop anytime soon and he sighs. Thankfully tomorrow is the weekend and he doesn’t have to go to work.

He moves to walk back to the couch but a sudden thought makes him stop in his tracks.

 _The hybrid_.

The hybrid might have been able to find shelter somewhere, but if that’s not the case then he must be drowning in that alley right now with the way the rain is lashing down.

Jongin worries at his bottom lip, unsure of what to do, but in the end he still goes to put on a coat and his shoes, grabbing the biggest umbrella he finds before heading out, still in his sleeping clothes.

The wind has picked up now, the raindrops falling like bullets and wetting Jongin’s sweats through as he runs down the street. He can feel the air crackling around him.

He rounds the corner to the alley and there is the hybrid, just how he feared he would be: soaked through, wet clothes sticking to his skin as he sits with his legs close to his chest under the measly cover provided by a broken windowsill, the cardboard boxes an unsalvageable sopping mess now. He makes a sorry sight.

The hybrid looks up, muscles tensing, when Jongin steps closer to him, tipping the umbrella over his head as well. He has his tail curled tight around himself and his ears stick to his head, fur and hair drenched. He’s shivering a little.

“Come home with me,” Jongin blurts without thinking and the hybrid looks taken aback for a second before his face twists into a scowl, and he looks away with a scoff.

“I’m serious,” Jongin insists. He has to talk loudly to make himself heard over the heavy sound of the rain. “It’s not safe here, you’ll get sick if you stay under this torrent. My house isn’t far.”

The hybrid has closed his eyes, as if shutting Jongin out, droplets of water running from his wet lashes down his face.

“Please?” Jongin says, feeling desperate at the thought of leaving the hybrid behind like this, but the word gets drowned out by the sudden crash of thunder.

The loud sound seems to snap the air in two and they both jump, the hybrid’s eyes flying open before locking with Jongin’s.

An eternity seems to pass, Jongin almost losing hope, but then something like resignation flits over the hybrid’s face and he stands up to step fully under the umbrella, putting as much distance as possible between them without having to lose the cover.  

Jongin gives a quiet sigh of relief.

“This way.”

  


“Here,” Jongin says as he opens the door to his apartment and lets the hybrid in first, putting the umbrella on the ground outside. “You can put your shoes here,” he tells him as he takes off his own wet shoes and coat.

The hybrid looks around the living room as he toes off his beat up sneakers, sniffing, and Jongin stops what he’s doing. The hybrid looks… cute, standing there in Jongin’s apartment, sopping wet and with his hair plastered on his head. He very much looks like a drenched kitten.

Jongin shakes the thoughts out of his head.

The hybrid has made his way to the couch now and is looking curiously at the television, and Jongin sheepishly realizes he must have left it on when he had rushed out the door earlier. He walks to the couch and takes the remote to pause the episode, the hybrid immediately stepping a couple of feet away from him.

“Um, that’s the bathroom,” Jongin says after a few moments of silence, pointing at the door on their right. “You should take a hot shower, so you won’t catch a cold.”

No response.

Jongin soldiers through. “And… you can give me your clothes. If you want. I could wash them for you, I have to do laundry anyway.”

The hybrid casts a sideways glance to the bathroom and Jongin thinks he detects something like longing in his eyes, under the ten brick walls he has put up. Then, without a word, the hybrid starts walking towards the bathroom.

“Clean towels are under the sink,” Jongin calls out, watching the hybrid close the door behind himself without so much as a backward glance.

Jongin remains standing in front of the couch for a while, eyes glued to the closed bathroom door until the sound of running water from the shower breaks him out of his trance and he suddenly becomes aware of just how awful his wet sweats feel clinging to his thighs.

He goes into his room and changes into dry clothes, picking a pair of sweats and a long sleeved shirt to give the hybrid. When he comes back into the living room, he startles at the sight of the hybrid already out of the shower and standing by the couch, looking around himself. He’s using one hand to hold the towel around his waist in place and the other to carry his soaked clothes.

“D-Done already?” Jongin squeaks and inwardly chides himself. He’s acting the part of the spooked cat to perfection.

The hybrid walks up to him and holds his clothes out. There are droplets of water making their way from his hairline, down his neck and bare chest and Jongin tries his best to drag his eyes away and up to the hybrid’s face.

He gingerly takes the wet bundle from him. “Here are some dry clothes you can wear in the meantime. They’re mine but, um, you don’t have to return them. You can cut a hole for your tail, it’s fine,” he offers his clothes and the hybrid’s nostrils flare like when he was sniffing the air earlier. A troubled expression furrows his brow but then he quickly schools his face back to a more neutral one, and Jongin is left confused.

“I have a spare bedroom,” he says. “You can use that to change and also,” he hesitates. “I was thinking you could stay the night as well, since it doesn’t look like the storm will stop anytime soon,” he gives a weak wave in the general direction of the windows.

The hybrid looks at him and once again Jongin feels those sharp eyes piercing through him but then, the hybrid takes the clothes from his hands and turns around to stalk wordlessly towards the guest room, closing the door behind himself.

Jongin will take that as a yes.

The hybrid stays cooped up in the guest bedroom for the rest of the night. Jongin knows, because he stays awake on the couch until late pretending to watch television.

 

🜂

 

The next morning, Jongin drags himself out of bed fairly earlier than he usually would on a Saturday and heads to the kitchen to make breakfast. He stops briefly in front of the guest bedroom, trying to pick up any possible noise but he hears nothing so he quickly moves on and into the kitchen, noticing it’s still raining heavily outside as he passes the windows.

After a moment of thinking, Jongin settles on making simple vegetable omelettes and rice, taking some leftover kimchi from the freezer as well. He doesn’t usually eat this much for breakfast in the weekend, preferring to have various snacks during the day as he lazes around, but he thinks the hybrid might appreciate something more substantial.

He gets started on cooking the omelettes, singing to himself as he putters around. The rice cooker beeps and as he turns he’s once again startled by the hybrid, who’s now standing in the kitchen doorway, looking adorably sleep ruffled. Jongin clutches a hand to his chest. This is getting old real quick.

“Jeez,” Jonging gasps. “You really move silently.”

The hybrid only looks mildly amused.

“I made breakfast,” Jongin continues after recovering, spooning the rice into two bowls and setting them on the small table.

The hybrid nods, rubbing the leftover sleepiness off his eyes. Jongin’s clothes are big on him and the sleeves of the t-shirt reach his fingers. Jongin swallows an unexpectedly warm feeling down and goes to flip the omelettes onto two plates.

They eat in silence, Jongin sneaking glances at the hybrid, who’s focused entirely on his food. He seems to like what Jongin makes himself as much as store bought, but that might also be because he must not eat that often apart from what Jongin has been bringing him, so Jongin tries to quash down the rush of pleasure at seeing the hybrid working eagerly on his breakfast. He’s not even that good of a cook, more often than not Kyungsoo takes pity on him and prepares him food that he can reheat later.

When all the food is gone, Jongin takes the dishes to the sink. “It’s still pouring out there,” he says, trying to affect nonchalance, but he can feel the hybrid’s gaze on his back. “You should stay a little longer.”

Jongin turns around and sure enough, the hybrid is looking at him, assessing him with his eyes.

“Okay.”

Jongin blinks. “Okay?”

The hybrid nods and Jongin doesn’t manage to smother the smile that spreads over his face in time. He ducks his head in an attempt to hide it, but he knows the hybrid saw by the sudden narrowing of his pupils, something Jongin knows typically happens when cats react emotionally to something.

“Good,” Jongin says, nodding as well, and then takes a deep breath. “Can I… can I ask your name?” he holds his breath as soon as the words leave his mouth.

The hybrid’s tail twitches. “Minseok.”

Jongin’s breath rushes through his nose, the smile spreads wider. “Minseok…” he tries the name, liking the way it rolls off his tongue. The hybrid’s tail twitches harder. “I’mー”

“Jongin.” Minseok interrupts him and Jongin’s heart stops in his chest at hearing that soft voice say his name. “I know. You told me already.”

Pink tinges Jongin’s cheeks at the words. Right.

Minseok stands up, his chair scraping on the floor, and turns to make his way out of the kitchen.

“Wait,” Jongin blurts out and the hybrid stops. “I was going to watch some TV now... want to, um, keep me company?” his lips curve into a small, hopeful smile.

Minseok turns and stares. He stares for so long that Jongin almost thinks he’s going to say yes when he finally opens his mouth to speak.

“No.”

The smile slips off Jongin’s face quicker than it got there and he watches Minseok slink away into the guest room. Disappointed, he shuffles into the living room, flopping down on the couch. Being with Minseok is like a freaking rollercoaster and Jongin is always left with an uneasy feeling in his stomach. With a huff, he turns on the television and settles to watch his drama alone.

He’s not even halfway through one episode when he suddenly feels a weight settle on the other end of the couch. He whips his head around and his eyes widen when he sees Minseok sitting stiffly with his tail curled in his lap, body pressed close to the arm of the couch.

Delight curses through his body and a smile finds its way back to Jongin’s face. “Changed your mind?” his tone is traitorously happy. Maybe Minseok does want to spend time with him after all.

Minseok doesn’t turn his head. “No. I just want to watch TV.”

“Ah.”

 _Rollercoaster_.

They watch the drama in silence but Jongin finds himself struggling to regain his focus more often than not, his eyes always straying towards Minseok, the slope of his nose, the pretty curve of his lips. He likes what he sees a little bit too much.

They manage to watch two more episodes and when Jongin takes the remote to play the next one, the pattering of the rain against the windows has dwindled to a stop. Jongin’s stomach tightens into a knot.

Jongin turns to look at Minseok, who at some point has curled up against the back of the couch hugging his knees. Their eyes meet.

“It stopped raining,” Jongin says, reluctant. He was having such a nice time together with Minseok, he doesn’t want it to stop.

Minseok nods and stands up without a word, face unreadable, and Jongin watches him walk around the couch towards the door. The knot in his stomach gets tighter and no he doesn’t want Minseok to go. Not now, not later, notー

“ _Minseok_.”

Minseok stops in his tracks and turns around to look at him.

Jongin grips at the fabric of his sweats. He needs to tread carefully. “You don't have to leave just because the rain stopped. I wouldn't mind if… if you wanted to stay here a bit longer. Actually,” he takes a deep breath. “Actually you could just stay if you want to. Like live here. With me.”

Minseok’s eyes widen.

“Obviously you could come and go as you please, I wouldn’t force you to stay at home,” he presses on, afraid to scare the hybrid away. “But you know, I live alone, there's plenty of room if you'd want to stay…”

Minseok stares at him, pins him down with his eyes, and Jongin feels scrutinised under that stare, feels his skin almost peel away from its intensity.

“Okay.”

Just like that, the pressure in his body fades away and Jongin slumps down a little against the back of the couch, relief as well as disbelief tangling together in his chest.

That was… easy?

Minseok makes his way back to the couch, settling back in a curl against the armrest. When Jongin doesn’t make a move to turn on the next episode, he turns to frown at him. “Another,” he demands and Jongin quickly presses play.

That dangerous warmth returns in his stomach and this time it’s not quite as easy to smother.  

After a couple of minutes, he feels something touch his thigh and he looks down to see Minseok’s tail stretched on the couch in between them, its tip brushing him as it moves back and forth lightly.  

A smile breaks across his face, so wide he has to press his lips together, and he sneaks a sideways glance towards Minseok, who doesn’t seem to be aware of his tail, completely absorbed in the drama.

Jongin makes sure not to move an inch for the rest of the morning.

 

🜂

 

Jongin sighs as he drags his eyes away from the clock hanging on the wall and trains them back on his laptop. Still twenty minutes until he can go home.

He's been feeling restless all day, fantasizing about what he and Minseok could do together that evening, watching the clock like a hawk and counting down the hours until he can go back home maybe a little too eagerly.

He had spent such a nice weekend with Minseok that it had been hard to go to work this morning. They had pretty much lazed around the whole time, watching television on the couch. Minseok had made sure to be as far away as possible from Jongin, always balling himself up on the other end of the couch, but Jongin can’t help the soft smile that grazes his lips when he thinks about what had happened on Sunday afternoon.

They had been watching the final episodes of the historical drama and Jongin had been completely focused on what was happening on the screen when suddenly he had felt something drop softly onto his legs. Looking down, he had seen Minseok’s tail in his lap and had thrown a furtive glance towards Minseok, who had just kept staring at the TV, very deliberately not meeting Jongin’s questioning eyes. Jongin had forced his gaze back to the screen then, deciding not to make a big deal out of it to avoid scaring the hybrid off, but then the tail had started stroking him very lightly and Jongin had cautiously lifted a finger to feel the soft fur against his skin, his heart making a little flip in his chest when the tail’s tip had wrapped around it for a second.

Jongin glances up towards the clock again and looks back to his laptop with a huff.

Fifteen minutes.

A sudden chill goes down his spine and makes him shiver. It’s not winter yet, but the days have been getting colder and especially in the office it’s freezing. For such a high end company, it sure could use a better heating system, Jongin thinks bitterly and swivels his chair to bend down, grabbing his backpack off the floor to take out his sweater.

A few moments of useless rifling later and Jongin’s sweater is nowhere to be found. With a groan, Jongin realizes he must have left it on the couch this morning. Damn it. He grumbles all the way to the common room where he starts boiling water for some hot tea, the only decent drink that isn’t coffee ー Jongin wrinkles his nose at the mere idea ー they have at the office.

Another woeful sigh. Everything would be so much better if he was at home right now, comfortably curled up on the couch together with Minseok and wrapped in his warm blanket. They could start another drama after dinner, or maybe watch a movie. An excited giggle escapes Jongin’s mouth before he can stop it, _maybe_ Minseok will put his tail in his lap again.

Suddenly, apprehension sinks low into his stomach, like a stone in his gut, and Jongin stops stirring his tea bag, dopey smile dropping off from his face.

What if…

What if when he comes home Minseok won’t be there.

What if he ran away?

With a sense of dread, Jongin puts his tea down and rushes over to his desk, hurriedly packing his things.

Minseok said okay. He said okay to stay and live with Jongin so he wouldn’t just leave like that. Right?

Except Minseok doesn’t owe Jongin anything so he could have very well done just that.

Jongin runs towards the elevator, almost running over Junmyeon, the director, as he all but dashes past him.

“Jongin? Where are you going, it’s not time to go home yet?” Junmyeon calls out to him, perplexed.

“It’s an emergency, sorry!” Jongin shouts over his shoulders. He’s gonna have to come up with a very good excuse tomorrow.

He speeds all the way home, making sure to check the alley first, which seems deserted, only to stop when in front of his apartment door, leaning against the wall to catch his breath. He takes out his keys and takes a big breath before turning the lock, swinging the door open slowly, afraid of what he could _not_ find on the other side.

The house is silent when he steps inside and Jongin feels his chest deflate, looking around as he drops his backpack on the floor and takes off his shoes. The door to Minseok’s room is wide open, so is the one to his own room, and he can hear nothing coming from the kitchen.

Jongin pads quietly across the living room, stopping in front of the back of the couch, the television turned off. Disappointed, he lowers his gaze but immediately jerks in surprise when he sees a lump on the couch, kitty ears sticking up one side. Wide eyed, he rounds the couch and sure enough, there is Minseok, sleeping.

Minseok stayed.

Jongin lets himself flop on the floor and gives a sigh of relief. Minseok’s eyes immediately crack open at the noise, locking onto Jongin, and the hybrid makes a small sound in his throat.

Jongin’s mouth curls into a soft smile. “Hi,” he says, tone hushed.

Minseok stretches languidly, tail hooking at the tip, and blinks sleepy eyes up at him. “Hi.”

Jongin suddenly feels out of breath all for different reasons. Minseok looks so sweet and at home curled up on Jongin’s side of the couch, tucked into a soft looking blanketー

Wait.

That’s not a blanket. That’s a sweater. _Jongin_ ’s sweater, the one he had left on the couch this morning.

A stunned exhale leaves Jongin’s lips as he feels a giddy feeling bubbling up in his stomach.

“Whyー why are you cuddling my sweater?” he blurts out before he can stop himself.

Minseok’s cheeks turn a sudden pink and he sits up abruptly, seemingly at a loss of what to say, but he quickly recovers and glares down at Jongin. “Why are you sweaty and gross?” he demands, the sweater still clutched in his hands. “See, I can play twenty questions too.”

Flustered, Jongin opens his mouth to retort but quickly closes it again, feeling silly for getting caught running home like a fool. “I…” his eyes darts around. “I have to go make dinner,” he stands up and goes into the kitchen, definitely not hiding.

Later, as he’s grilling fish, Jongin feels a barely there tap on the small of his back and he turns around to see Minseok’s tail swishing by as the hybrid walks past him and sits down on the chair closest to the stove, and he meets the hybrid’s eyes for a moment before turning back to the pan.

The kitchen is quiet as Jongin continues to make dinner, aware of Minseok’s eyes on him, watching him cook.

Jongin is confused but he’ll take whatever the hybrid gives him.

 

🜂

 

“ _Soo_...” Jongin whines pitifully as he sprawls himself on the counter of Kyungsoo’s café a week later.

“What?” demands Kyungsoo, swatting at his face with a cloth. “Get your ugly face off my spotless counter.”

Jongin whines a little bit more, mushing his cheek against the sleek wooden top just to be annoying, and laughs when Kyungsoo directs a whack to his head, dodging.

It’s early enough for Jongin to be alone with Kyungsoo in the café and he takes advantage of his best friend privileges, rounding the counter to sit on the stool by the cash register, plucking one of the freshly baked blueberry scones from the display cabinet.

“I’ll charge you for that.” Kyungsoo threatens as he watches him devour the pastry in seconds.

Jongin pouts around his mouthful. “I am _sad_ ,” he protests. “Be sympathetic.”

Kyungsoo shoots him an unimpressed look and leans his hip against the counter. “And why is that?”

Jongin wipes the crumbs around the corners of his mouth and looks down, the troubled feeling that’s been sitting in the pit of his stomach reeling its head.

Minseok is always so defensive, so careful around him, and Jongin feels like he’s constantly on his tiptoes though there’s nothing he wants more than to be able to breach the walls the hybrid has built up. He wants to get to know Minseok better, wants him to feel calm and safe with Jongin, but he knows he still has a long way to go.

In a way he supposes he can't do much except wait for the hybrid to grant him access through those walls. It’s a struggle for him, though, because sometimes it seems like Minseok is about to relax only to put up new walls, somehow. The push and pull confuses Jongin and as the days progress the confusion only grows. He’s at a loss and he’s now resolved to asking for help.

“How…" Jongin hesitates. "How do you make your hybrid trust you?”

Kyungsoo clicks his tongue in thought. “Well,” he starts to say. “There isn’t really a specific way, I guess it’s more of aー wait. Why are you asking?”

“Um,” says Jongin, feeling a little sheepish. With Minseok taking up most of his thoughts, he’s completely forgotten to say anything to his best friend. “I might have picked up a stray…”

Kyungsoo’s eyes widens. “What?” he exclaims. “ _When_?”

Jongin rubs the nape of his neck. “Like… two weeks ago?”

“ _What_?” Kyungsoo says again, incredulously. “And when were you going to tell me?”

“It kind of slipped my mind, I’m sorry.” Jongin winces. “His name is Minseok,” he says and is unable to suppress a small, affectionate smile. He thinks about the sleepy Minseok he had left at home that morning, hair a mess as he had flopped face first onto the couch.

These days the hybrid always wakes up around the time Jongin has finished eating his breakfast, dragging himself out of his room with still half closed eyes, and he shuffles back to bed to sleep again just as Jongin heads out to work, almost as if wanting to see him off. It makes Jongin feel warm to think about.

“Where did you even find him?”

“An alley. I started bringing him food, I don’t think he managed to find much to eat, he’s so thin,” Jongin tells him. “And then there was that big storm, I couldn’t just leave him there like that.”  

Kyungsoo hums and relaxes back against the counter. “Okay,” he says. “And you say you’re having problems gaining his trust?”

Jongin gives a distressed sigh. “He’s just so wary, I don’t know what do. One minute it seems we’re getting somewhere, he seems to be getting comfortable around me and the next we’re back to square one,” he meets Kyungsoo’s gaze with desperate eyes. He feels so powerless. “How did you get Sehun to like you?”

“Well, with Sehun it was a little different,” Kyungsoo says, tilting his head. “He was the one to choose _me_ when I went to the shelter to look for a hybrid,” his eyes soften at the memory. “He saw me as I was passing by and basically tackled me on the ground. He refused to let me go, so I had no other choice than to bring him home with me.”

Jongin smiles softly. Seems like Sehun saw it right from the start, that he and Kyungsoo really were made for each other.

“Also you know how Sehun is, always fishing for cuddles and attention, he’s so shameless.” Kyungsoo says with a roll of his eyes.

“Lucky…” Jongin mutters sulkily under his breath, eyes downcast.

Kyungsoo scoffs. “Please, you and I both know that Sehun is a brat,” he says, and then fondly, “My brat.”

“ _Gross_ ,” Jongin gags. “I came to you for help not so you could make me throw up.”

Kyungsoo manages to smack him with his cloth this time.  

Jongin snickers but then sighs again, chest deflating. “For real, though… I don’t know what to do, sometimes it feels like the chances of Minseok opening up to me are all just wishful thinking on my part.”

They lapse into silence, Kyungsoo pressing his lips together in thought as Jongin glowers at the display cabinet, feeling sorry for himself.

“What if I brought Sehun?” Kyungsoo says after a moment.

Jongin lifts his head, brow furrowing in confusion. “What do you mean?”

“I mean, what if me and Sehun came over to meet Minseok? It might do him good to be around another hybrid, he might relax a little.”

Jongin bites his lip as he thinks. “Maybe that’s not a bad idea,” he trails off, and then nods. Nothing wrong with trying. “Okay. Let’s do that.”

“Perfect,” Kyungsoo tells him. “Sehun has been asking about you anyway.”

Jongin smiles at that. “ Yeah, I miss him too.”

“Is this Sunday okay with you?”

“Sure,” Jongin says, checking the clock on the wall. “I have to go to work now,” and stands up just as the first customer of the day enters the café. “But thank you, Soo.”

“Of course,” Kyungsoo says and gives Jongin a quick smile as he leaves before turning to his customer.

 

🜂

 

Even though Minseok had remained maddeningly expressionless when he had told him about Kyungsoo and Sehun’s visit, Jongin feels hopeful and when the doorbell rings he gives Minseok, who’s slouched on the couch looking indifferent, an encouraging smile before going to get the door.

As soon as he swings it open, a tall and slim cat hybrid saunters inside as if he owns the place, but his sharp features soften the moment he sees Jongin, eyes turning into crescents.

“Jongin,” he exclaims and Jongin finds himself with an armful of affectionate hybrid.

“Hey, Sehun,” he says, smiling fondly as Sehun rubs their cheeks together, purring loudly, and he reaches a hand to scratch behind the hybrid’s ear.

“I thought you had forgotten all about me,” Sehun whines, tone accusing, but he presses closer to Jongin still. “Why do you only visit Kyungsoo when I’m cuter than him?”

Kyungsoo snorts behind them as he closes the door.

“You’re absolutely right,” Jongin chuckles. “And I’m sorry about that, but now there’s someone I want you to meet,” he turns around to see Minseok now sitting with his back straight, brow furrowed as he looks from him and Sehun with slightly narrowed eyes. “That’s Minseok, he’s been staying with me for a while now.”

Sehun peers questioningly over Jongin’s shoulder, eyes lighting up when he spots Minseok, and he makes his way towards the couch, tail pointed straight up. Minseok seems to have his guard up as he looks at the other hybrid but he doesn't shy away from Sehun’s curious sniffing, carefully doing some of his own, and doesn’t resist when Sehun pulls him down onto the carpet with him.

Jongin watches them, teeth worrying at his bottom lip, until Kyungsoo nudges him with his elbow. “Let’s give them some time alone,” he whispers. “Make me some tea.”

Jongin lets himself be dragged away to allow the two hybrids to get to know each other in their own way, Minseok catching his eyes before he disappears into the kitchen.

“He looks older than I imagined,” Kyungsoo tells him as Jongin puts the water to boil.

Jongin nods, taking the jar filled with different tea bags from one of the cabinets and offering it to Kyungsoo. “He’s older than me. And you too.”

“Is he?” Kyungsoo says as he chooses a flavour. “Why was he in the streets? What happened to him?”

Jongin purses his lips. “I don’t know,” he says, quietly. “He hasn’t told me and I haven’t asked. I’d like to know… I’d like to know everything about him, but I don’t want to push him and scare him away.”

Kyungsoo hums in understanding and Jongin takes the tea bag he’s chosen, letting it sit in the hot water as he looks glumly down at the floor, lost in thought.

“You like him, don’t you?” Kyungsoo says in a soft tone then, more of a statement than a question.

It takes Jongin by surprise, but he sighs. “Yeah, I do,” he says, stirring the little pot. “And I wish he would open up to me. I want… I want him to trust me.”

“One step at a time, okay?” Kyungsoo says, rubbing Jongin’s back soothingly. “Let’s see how today goes,” and Jongin nods, sighing as he pours the hot tea into a mug that he hands to Kyungsoo.

Back into the living room, Jongin and Kyungsoo find the two hybrids now on the floor a few feet away from the couch. Minseok seems to have relaxed at least a little, ears facing forward and tail swaying lazily, but he still maintains that look of vague detachment as he listens to whatever Sehun is saying.

Things seems to be going fine so they sit on the couch, chatting comfortably, but Jongin can’t help sneaking glances over his shoulder, or feeling a little stab to the heart at how easy it seems for Sehun to get Minseok to talk.

He tries to focus on Kyungsoo’s latest customer nightmare story, but he can’t take his eyes off of Minseok. He can’t really hear what the two hybrids are saying, but Minseok seems to have tensed up, the corners of his pink mouth pulled down into a frown as he fires back to whatever Sehun is saying, the end of his tail thumping the carpet. Jongin’s brow pinches in confusion when Minseok seems to bristle, and suddenly the hybrid’s eyes fly up to meet his, expression aghast. But before he can make anything of it, Kyungsoo snaps him back to attention.

“Jongin,” he whispers, a mix of exasperation and amusement. “We’re supposed to give them privacy.”

“I know, I know it’s justー” Jongin cuts himself off as he feels a sudden weight plop into his lap. He turns his head, only to find Minseok’s face centimeters away from his own, his mouth set in a determined frown. “Um,” he squeaks but he doesn’t have time to say anything else before Minseok starts rubbing his cheeks all over him.

Jongin’s eyes are as wide as saucers, his hands going to grip Minseok’s hoodie, and he turns to find an equally stunned Kyungsoo watching. Sehun joins them by the couch, settling on the floor by Kyungsoo’s feet, resting his chin on Kyungsoo’s knee with a smug smirk curving his lips.

“Um,” Jongin says. “What’s going on?”

“Nothing,” Sehun says innocently. “We were just talking about scents.”

Minseok lifts his head from where he’s earnestly nuzzling Jongin’s neck long enough to send Sehun a glare before burying it back. Jongin says nothing, even as questions swirl frantically in his head, and he tentatively starts stroking Minseok’s back, feeling the hybrid relax into his embrace, his tense muscles growing lax.

This is the closest Minseok has ever been to him and as much as the suddenness of it all is absolutely confusing, Jongin… Jongin _loves_ it, loves the feel of the hybrid against him and the warmth of his body. He sits back more comfortably against the couch, ready to bask in this new turn of events as long as he can, a giddy smile blooming on his face.

 

Minseok doesn’t leave his side for the rest of the evening, wrapping his tail around Jongin’s leg to keep him close as they see Kyungsoo and Sehun out of the door, keeping it there even as Jongin cooks dinner. It’s kind of difficult to move around like that but Jongin isn’t complaining, doesn’t even think about saying something about it to Minseok. He’s perfectly happy as it is. He's not gonna risk it.

The hybrid detaches only when they have to get ready for bed, but Jongin almost trips over his own feet when he exits the bathroom and finds Minseok in _his_ bed, rubbing his cheek against his pillow.

“W-Wha?” Jongin chokes out, very coherently.

Minseok straightens up at the sound of Jongin’s voice. “Turn off the light before getting into bed, please,” he tells him casually, as if nothing odd is going on here.

Jongin automatically does as he’s told, too stunned to do or say anything else, and climbs into bed beside Minseok almost in a daze. Minseok scoots over to rest his head on his shoulder and Jongin feels his stomach swoop.

His heart is beating fast, so much so that he’s afraid Minseok can hear it, but he doesn’t dare move a muscle.

“You shouldn't hug other people so much, it makes you smell not right,” Minseok says after a beat of strained silence.

Jongin swallows. “Not right?”

Minseok gives a firm nod, tail resting over Jongin’s waist. “Yes, _not right_.”

Jongin hesitates, he wants to say more, to ask what all this means, but he bites his lip against the words. Too risky. “I see.”

“Yes,” Minseok says with determination, then, “Good night,” and promptly falls asleep, leaving Jongin alone with his swirling thoughts.

 

🜂

 

The next morning, Jongin wakes up to heat and a heavy weight holding him down, his bed feeling like a furnace as the sheets cling to his body and sweat slicks his bangs, making them stick to his forehead. He lets out a quiet groan and swallows, his throat feeling parched.

That heavy weight moves slightly and it’s only then that Jongin’s ears register a low, fluttery sound coming from it, potent enough for Jongin to feel its vibrations in his chest.

He cracks his eyes open and what he sees when he looks down has him instantly awake, the events of the night before rushing back to him

Minseok.

There’s _Minseok_ on top of him, curled up into a ball and purring like a tractor.

Jongin stares. He’s having problems believing this is actually happening, believing that careful, guarded Minseok is willingly showing himself so vulnerable. Jongin had been hopeful, but this is so much more than he could have hoped for. This is a complete one-eighty.

It’s so unexpected that Jongin isn't sure if he's dreaming or awake, even though the weight of the hybrid making it almost a little difficult to breathe properly assures him that this is real.

Minseok moves again, stretching as he uncurls and settles on his belly, eyes fluttering open for a moment before sliding shut again as he rests his cheek on Jongin’s chest.

Jongin’s heart throbs.

The sudden noise of Jongin’s alarm startles the both of them, Minseok letting out a small, raspy yelp as he flattens his body against Jongin, tail puffing up.

“ _Ow_ ,” Jongin exclaims as Minseok’s sharp claws dig into his sides through his shirt. “Ow, Minseok, your claws,” he rushes out between gritted teeth and blindly reaches over to grab his phone, wincing at the stinging sensation.

Minseok relaxes as soon as the alarm is turned off and he retracts his claws, pushing himself up to sit astride Jongin’s middle, blinking groggily down at Jongin with a grumpy expression.

“Too loud,” he grumbles, but his hands rub at Jongin’s sides in apology.

Jongin swallows, having Minseok’s sleep ruffled hair and pouty lips so close does funny things to his heart. “Sorry,” he says and it sounds breathless.

Minseok silently settles back down on top of him, closing his eyes, and Jongin can do nothing but keep looking, still feeling a little stunned. He only moves to gently stroke Minseok’s flank, sighing contently as the purring starts again, heart full with the fact that Minseok is allowing this.

Jongin could stay like this all day. Forever, even. He really could, but as much as it pains him to even think about leaving Minseok when he’s being like _this_ , cuddly and clingy and everything Jongin wants, he has to go to work.

He bites his lip. “Minseok,” he calls out softly. “I have to get up.”

Minseok ignores him, stubbornly keeping his eyes closed.

“Minseok,” he tries again, patting the hybrid’s side, and the purring stops. Lamely enough, Jongin misses it already.

“I have to go to work,” he pleads and Minseok finally raises his head, eyes narrowed.

“Warm.”

God, Jongin has to bite his tongue to stop himself from just closing what little distance is between them and kiss Minseok’s lips. Minseok’s pink, full, undoubtedly warm, perfect lips.

His feelings have obviously gotten out of control, Jongin notes, but Minseok is even _cuter_ in the mornings.

“I know,” Jongin says sympathetically, trying to reason. With Minseok and himself. “But I can’t be late for work, I’m sorry.”

Minseok stares at him for a long moment before begrudgingly climbing off of him and flopping on the other side of the bed. Jongin sits up and reaches to stroke a hand down Minseok’s back once before getting up with a regretful sigh, shivering as the cold morning air hits his sweaty skin.

After a quick shower, he eats some breakfast and Minseok shuffles into the kitchen just as he’s finishing cooking his lunch, flopping into a chair and resting his head on the table.

“I made you kimchi fried rice,” Jongin tells him as he puts the food in the fridge for the hybrid to take out later.

Minseok mumbles what Jongin deciphers is a thank you.

Jongin pockets his phone and quickly puts on his shoes and coat. He turns to grab his backpack and can’t help but chuckle as he sees a half asleep Minseok leaning against the entryway wall.

“Go back to sleep,” he says, fondness painting his tone. “It’s cold out of bed.”

Minseok makes a soft noise, half a purr, eyes drooping.

“I’ll see you later,” Jongin tells him and opens the door, glancing one last time at Minseok as he closes it, and smiles as he makes his way to the office, wrapping his coat around himself more tightly.

He could get used to this.

 

🜂

 

Turns out Jongin does, in fact, get used to it.

Everyday now, he wakes up in the morning to Minseok’s weight on top of himself, the hybrid puffing out warm breaths against Jongin’s skin as he purrs away, and Jongin always spends a few, giddy moments relishing in the closeness and intimacy. He doesn’t care that he’s always waking up sweaty what with Minseok being a living radiator, it’s simply too nice.

Getting out of bed is definitely less nice. Jongin is absolutely loathe to leave Minseok, but he loves the little staredowns they engage in when Jongin tries to get out from underneath the hybrid. Jongin always lingers then, after Minseok has grumblingly rolled to the other side of the bed, to pet his side and stroke his back. He never reaches further to pet Minseok’s hair though, no matter how much he longs to bury his fingers in those soft looking red strands. He’s noticed how the hybrid tenses everytime his hand reaches his nape. He doesn’t know the reason for such a nervous reaction, but he doesn’t want his touches associated with something possibly bad for Minseok.

The evenings are pretty amazing too, spent on the couch watching television or even just in comfortable silence when Jongin brings home some leftover work from the office, Minseok almost always sitting closer to Jongin's side now, tail on Jongin’s lap or around his arm. One time the hybrid had even fallen asleep with his head resting on Jongin’s shoulder and Jongin had felt his heart do a somersault in his chest at seeing Minseok’s cheek squished cutely like that.  

Today, work is a little hectic and Jongin ends up coming home a little later than usual, letting out a sigh of relief as soon as he steps inside, closing the door behind himself with a little kick as he shrugs off his coat. He pads across the living room after taking off his shoes and stops short when he sees Minseok asleep on the floor by the windows, half wrapped in a blanket.

That can’t be comfortable. Of all the places…

Just like his cat-nature imparts, Minseok can really fall asleep anywhere.

Jongin crouches in front of the hybrid. “Why are you on the floor?” he murmurs, rubbing a hand up and down Minseok’s side to wake him up. He gets a little zing up his spine every time he’s allowed something like this, sudden rushes of exhilaration at being able to touch the hybrid so casually now.

Minseok doesn’t move, seemingly deep in sleep.

“Minseok.”

Still nothing, but Jongin catches the tip of Minseok’s tail starting to move back and forth and he huffs out a disbelieving but amused laugh.

“I can see you're awake.”

Minseok’s eyes remain closed, but his ears twitch, and Jongin shakes his head with a smile.

Okay, then.

“C’mon kitty, kitty,” he calls in a sing-song voice, scratching Minseok’s side through the blanket. “Wake up.”

Almost instantly, Minseok starts rubbing himself against the floor, a purr slipping out, but he stops abruptly when Jongin bursts out laughing. His eyes snap open and he immediately sits up straight, leveling Jongin with the most dignified glare he can muster as pink tinges his cheeks.

He lets out a warning meow when Jongin can’t stop laughing.  

“Okay, sorry,” Jongin manages to get out, but laughter still wracks his body and Minseok’s tail whacks him in the chest. “ _Sorry_ ,” he repeats and finally calms down. “What were you even doing on the floor?” he asks, not quite able to suppress his big smile.

Minseok doesn’t deign to answer him, but instead demands, “Why are you so late?”, chin jutted up, and Jongin’s smile gets fonder. Such a brat.

“Work,” Jongin says, playing with one end of the blanket. “I stayed in late so I didn’t have to bring it home,” and smiles when Minseok’s tail comes to brush against his fingers. He looks up and meets Minseok’s eyes and they stare at each other until Jongin’s stomach rumbles, reminding him he hasn’t eaten anything since that sad, vending machine sandwich he had had for lunch.

“Wanna keep me company while I cook?” he asks then and at Minseok’s nod he gets up, turning to walk towards the kitchen.

He hasn’t even taken two steps when he’s startled by a deafening crash behind him and he whips around just in time to see Minseok darting for Jongin’s room. Stunned, he looks down and sees one of the two matching vases his sister had bought him as a housewarming gift broken on the floor. “Whatー  _Minseok_?” he rushes after the hybrid, worried that he’s hurt himself with the shards of ceramic scattered everywhere.

Jongin doesn’t immediately spot Minseok in the bedroom and he kneels on the floor to look under the bed, heart thumping with the need to make sure everything is fine. “Minseok?”

The hybrid isn’t there and Jongin pulls himself up with a noise of distress to look around himself. His eyes catches movement by the closet and sure enough, one of the doors is ajar and Minseok’s tail sticks out, nervously flicking back and forth.  

“Minseok,” Jongin sighs as he finds the hybrid curled up tight into himself under Jongin’s jackets and shirts, ears flat against his head. “What happened?” he asks but Minseok doesn’t meet his eyes, angles his body a little bit more towards the back of the closet.

Jongin crouches down and looks him over, eyebrows furrowed in concern. There isn’t blood on the bottom of his feet, so Jogin reaches for his hands. “Are you hurt? Let me see your hands.”

Minseok flinches and pulls away, trying to make himself smaller.

Jongin’s heart constricts, worried that the hybrid’s really hurt himself. “No, let meー” he leans further into the closet, gently grabbing Minseok’s wrists. “Minseok, please, I need to see ifー”

Minseok struggles and Jongin loses his balance and falls on his back on the floor, wincing as he hits his head, his grip on the hybrid’s wrists causing Minseok to topple on top of him with a startled sound.

“Are you okay?” Jongin asks immediately, snapping his head up, and freezes as he finds Minseok’s face only a hair’s breadth apart from his.

Minseok’s breath hits his cheek, warm puffs of air coming from parted lips, pink and slick as Minseok darts his tongue over them, a flash of red that captures Jongin’s eyes. Jongin can feel the movement of Minseok’s chest as he inhales and exhales quickly, the weight of his body pressing into Jongin’s. He drags his eyes away from Minseok’s mouth and up to his eyes, finding worry and sadness in them, and also something else he can’t quite decipher.

But then Minseok suddenly pushes off Jongin’s chest, pulling his wrists away from Jongin’s now slack grip, and sits up, eyes downcast.

Jongin swallows and pushes himself up as well, slowly moving closer towards Minseok. "What's wrong? Why won't you let me see your hands?" he asks gently.

Minseok wordlessly shows him his hands and Jongin takes them, looking them over, relieved to see there’s no blood or slivers of ceramic there either.

“You’re okay,” he murmurs, rubbing Minseok’s palms soothingly. “You scared me,” he adds with a small chuckle, but his eyebrows furrow again when Minseok still doesn’t meet his eyes. “Why did you run and hide, then? Did you get scared?”  

“Are you angry?”

Jongin blinks, taken aback. “What?” he scoots a little closer. “Of course not, why would I be?”

“I broke your vase,” Minseok says in a small voice, tail wrapping around himself.

Jongin looks at him, confused. “I know it was an accident.”

“Are you going to make me leave?”

“ _What_?” Jongin splutters. “Of course not. Minseok,” Jongin bows his head to catch the hybrid's eyes, confusion making way for concern. “Why would you think I’d kick you out for something small like that?”

There’s silence, and then Minseok opens his mouth to speak.

“My previous family was going to.”

Jongin’s heart stops and he grips Minseok’s hands tightly in his own. “What?”

Minseok nods, face unreadable. “I had a lot of families, but almost all of them gave me up after a while. A month at most.”

It’s said in a flat voice, almost disinterested, but Jongin can hear the sadness embedded into every word, past the careful indifference. He can see it in the way Minseok speaks quietly, how he still isn’t meeting his eyes.

“It was either because I was too clingy or too rowdy,” Minseok continues. “Or I wasn’t up to expectations, or I wasn’t cute enoughー”

“What?” Jongin can’t help interrupting. “Youー” anger and indignation like a storm in his veins, making him fumble with his words. “You are the cutestー the _cutest_ ー”

Minseok looks up at that and Jongin cuts himself off, flushing with embarrassment at his outburst, but relaxes when he feels Minseok’s tail wrap around his ankle.

“My last family had a son. He didn’t like me so he would bother me and break things on purpose and then blame me for it. The parents never believed me. I ran away when I overheard them talking about sending me back to the shelter. I was seventeen.”

Jongin is seething, the thought of Minseok, so young, being tossed around like a commodity and then ending up on the streets alone making his blood boil.

“Assholes,” he bits out. “They were all _assholes_. They didn’t deserve you,” he grips Minseok’s hands even tighter and looks him in the eye. “I would never kick you out or send you back on the streets. Ever. Not for accidentally breaking things, not for anything.”

Minseok is looking at him with wide eyes, mouth parted, and Jongin’s stomach rolls from everything he’s feeling right now. He dips down and presses a firm kiss to Minseok’s knuckles, his lips lingering for just a second longer. Minseok swallows.

“How about we order in?” Jongin says then, a smile curling one side of his mouth. “Chicken.”   

Minseok nods but then stops, ears drooping a little. “I need to clean up the mess.”

“We can do it together,” Jongin tells him.

Later, after they’ve eaten dinner and settled on the couch, Minseok scoots closer to Jongin until their sides are pressed close together and looks up to meet Jongin's eyes, mouth drawing up into a soft smile. Jongin’s heart jolts in his chest as he realizes that’s the first smile Minseok has ever given to him, and he tries to reciprocate as best he can through the lump that lodges in his throat.

Minseok lowers himself then, smile still in place, and puts his head in Jongin’s lap, stretching his legs comfortably on the couch cushions. Jongin lets out a small breath and slowly, carefully lifts a hand to stroke Minseok’s side, from shoulder to waist, feeling him relax under his touch, until he’s purring contentedly.

 

🜂

 

The cold wind bites with a sudden gust and Jongin turns his head as he feels Minseok shiver beside him. The hybrid is bundled up in one of Jongin’s winter jackets, tail tucked safely inside it and close to his back to keep it warm, hands buried in his pockets.

Jongin halts in his steps in the middle of the street and stops Minseok with a tug on his arm, turning him around so that they come face to face. He can’t help smiling at the grumpy expression twisting the hybrid’s face.  

“You don’t like the cold, do you?” he says as he wraps Minseok’s scarf more tightly around his neck, covering his chin and mouth.

Minseok’s eyebrows furrow deeper as he shakes his head wordlessly, body rigid, and his shoulders hunch against another burst of wind.

“We’re almost there,” Jongin assures him and starts walking again, leaving a hand on Minseok’s arm to keep him close. “The café is right around the corner.”

They both give a sigh of relief as soon as they step inside and the welcoming warmth of the café envelop them. They make their way to the counter, Jongin huffing out a chuckle as he sees Kyungsoo catching Sehun’s wrist with an exasperated expression before the cat could snatch a muffin from the display cabinet.

“Stealing is bad, Sehun,” he quips as he leans against the wooden top, Minseok pressing close to his side as he stops beside him.

Sehun stops pouting at Kyungsoo and turns to stick his tongue out at Jongin. “It’s called taste testing,” he fires back but straightens up when he catches sight of Minseok, who’s looking curiously at the equipment behind the counter. “Hello there,” he says, mouth drawing up into a small grin. “Long time no see.”

Minseok turns to look at him. “Hi,” he tells him, bluntly.

“ _So_ ,” Sehun drawls unbothered, his grin growing into a smirk.  

Jongin looks between the two hybrids in confusion. “Um,” he says. “So what?”

Minseok presses closer to his side, hooking his chin on Jongin’s shoulder, and Jongin finds himself thoroughly distracted. “Shut up, Sehun.”

Kyungsoo steps in while Sehun snorts. “What did you guys want to order?” he asks with a roll of his eyes, but he’s smiling too.

“Ah, yes,” Jongin snaps out of his Minseok induced trance. The hybrid’s lashes are so long and pretty. “I’ll have a hot chocolate. What about you, Minseok?”

The hybrid lazily scans the menu, chin still perched on Jongin’s shoulder. “A latte,” he says.

As it turns out, cat hybrids can drink milk without any problems as Minseok had explained, mid laughing fit, when Jongin had sheepishly revealed the reason behind the little note he had left the first time he had brought the hybrid food. Minseok, however, had apparently never had a latte before that day and it’s now become his favourite drink. Jongin couldn't help but flush a little in pleasure when the hybrid had declared so. Still does now, to be honest.

Kyungsoo nods and stops Jongin when he takes out his wallet. “Keep it,” he deadpans before turning around to make their drinks, and Jongin grins at the fondness lacing his voice.

Minseok shuffles closer to the counter, craning forward to watch what Kyungsoo is doing, intrigued.

“You wanna see?” Sehun asks. “You can come behind the counter.”

Minseok wordlessly rounds the counter and Kyungsoo shoots him a quick smile when he stops beside him, taking care to not get too close so that Kyungsoo can work comfortably.

Jongin watches fondly how Minseok observes Kyungsoo’s every move with interest, how his eyebrows raise and his mouth parts at the latte art Kyungsoo makes.

“You want to try?” Kyungsoo asks him and at Minseok’s eager nod, he slides Jongin’s hot chocolate closer to him.

Jongin rests his cheek on the palm of his hand, a small smile playing on his lips, and looks at Minseok’s concentrated face as he diligently follows Kyungsoo’s soft spoken directions while Sehun cranes his neck to see over their heads.

Affection feels like a hot wave washing through his body then, and suddenly it’s so clear. This is what Jongin wants to see, and to have. This is what he wants to have always.

“Hey, he's good,” Sehun says as Minseok straightens up.

Kyungsoo nods with a smile, bringing the latte to the counter. “Not bad for a first timer. Wouldn’t mind keeping him around.”

Minseok is smiling proudly as he sets the hot chocolate in front of Jongin, and Jongin melts when he sees the slightly wonky heart on top of it, his stomach fluttering.

“Wow,” he says and he feels a little breathless. “M-Minseok this is beautiful, thank you.”

Minseok picks up his latte, satisfied, and rounds the counter once again to wrap his tail around Jongin’s wrist, tugging him to a table. Jongin can do nothing but grab his drink and follow after him.

“You know,” he says after a few moments spent sipping their drinks in silence. “I think Kyungsoo was serious. He could teach you more stuff like this if you liked.”

Minseok looks around pensively. “I wouldn’t mind that,” he says. “I like it here.”

Jongin smiles. “I’ll talk to Kyungsoo about it, then,” he promises. “It’d be nice to come here during lunch break and see you behind the counter. Would you make all my drinks?” he asks playfully with a tilt of his head and chuckles at Minseok’s nod.

“You know,” Minseok says after a few more moments of comfortable silence, his voice lowered. He’s looking out of the big window. “This isn’t that far from my alley.”

The corners of Jongin’s mouth pull down into a frown, a sour taste mixing with the sweetness of the chocolate on his tongue. He doesn’t like to think about Minseok in that dingy alley, alone.

“Yeah, I’m glad you’re not living there anymore.”

Jongin likes to think about Minseok at their house, comfortable and warm and cared for, napping on the bed or lying on the couch, eyes blinking lazily up at Jongin.

Minseok’s eyes suddenly focus on Jongin’s face, intense in a way Jongin’s never seen before. It almost makes his cheeks heat up.

“I am too,” he says. “Because I have you now.”

The words hit Jongin in the chest like a freight train and he feels fit to burst, blood thrumming in his veins.

“Yeah,” he mumbles, a small smile playing on his lips as he looks down at the still wonky but equally beautiful heart in his chocolate. “Yeah, you do.”

 

🜂

 

Jongin opens the fridge and looks around, biting his lip. After a few moments of pondering he shuts it and pads into the living room.

“Minseok,” he says and the hybrid immediately looks up from where he’s reading one of Jongin’s comics on the couch.

Jongin leans on the back of the couch, close to Minseok, and smiles down at him. He looks so cute in Jongin’s sweaters.

“What do you want to eat with the fried rice tonight?”

Minseok’s face lights up. “You’re making fried rice?”

Jongin, taken a little off guard by the reaction, nods wordlessly.

“Good,” Minseok says with a pleased smile. “Your rice is really delicious.”

Jongin inwardly flails but manages to keep a straight face. Almost. His cheeks turn a light pink. He clears his throat. “So, um… there’s some leftover kimchi that Kyungsoo made us. Or maybe shrimps?”

Minseok hums pensively. “Kimchi?”

“Kimchi, then,” Jongin nods and Minseok smiles at him before turning back to his comic.

Jongin lingers, cheek pillowed on his crossed arms, and watches the hybrid as he reads. The twitching of Minseok’s ears catches his attention and his eyes fix on them. Minseok has the most beautiful pair of kitty ears Jongin has ever seen. Fluffy and orange and with wispy white fur on the inner side. Simple but captivating. Jongin would be lying if he said he hasn’t imagined petting them countless of times, imagined sliding a hand into Minseok’s red hair to scratch his scalp, rubbing the ears with his thumb and index finger as he gently scratches the base. Everything to make the hybrid feel good and relaxed and let out his sweet purring.

Jongin is so caught up in his daydreaming that he doesn’t even realize he’s unconsciously reached over with his left hand until it’s too late.

It happens in a split second.

As the tips of his fingers graze Minseok’s right ear, the hybrid suddenly whips around and lashes out a hand. Jongin instinctively recoils with a hiss, his hand already stinging from where Minseok's sharp claws scratched him.

Minseok gasps when his eyes land on the red welts on the back of Jongin’s hand, widening as blood starts to pearl, and he springs off the couch, ears flattening back on his head.

After the initial shock subsides, Jongin cradles the injured hand to his chest and looks up at the hybrid. “Minseok,” he says in a small voice.

Guilt and shame churn in Jongin’s stomach and he wants to apologize. He should have been more careful. He knows Minseok doesn’t like his ears or hair to be touched and yet he let himself get carried away like that.

Minseok has his eyes lowered to the ground, his tail straight down, and when Jongin takes a hesitant step forward, he backs away. Jongin’s heart constrict.

“Minseok, I’mー”

Minseok turns on his heels and darts into the guest bedroom.

A heavy silence falls as the door slams shut and Jongin remains standing by the back of the couch, staring at where Minseok disappeared, until a sharp sting from one of the scratches pulls him out of himself and he goes to the bathroom to tend to his hand.

Minseok doesn’t come out of the room, not even when Jongin knocks to tell him that dinner is ready, and Jongin is left to pick at his plate alone at the kitchen table, the food feeling insipid and heavy on his tongue.

It’s late in the evening when the door to the guest bedroom finally swings open and Jongin straightens up at the sound, heart thumping in his chest when Minseok sits beside him on the couch. He opens his mouth to try and apologize again but Minseok speaks first.

“I’m sorry,” he says, shoulders hunched. “I didn’t mean to hurt you, I… I was taken by surprise and I acted on instinct,” he looks up with a dejected expression and Jongin makes a soft noise in his throat and scoots closer, taking one of Minseok’s hands in his.

“No _I’m_ sorry,” he says, shaking his head. “I shouldn’t have touched your ears, I know you don’t like it. I didn’t actually mean to do it… it was thoughtless of me.”

“It’s notー it’s not that I don’t like it. It’s justー” Minseok sighs sharply, seemingly frustrated with himself. “My ears have always been a little sensitive andーand the son of my last family used to sneak up on me and pull on them all the time. It was painful. So I’ve kind of just… grown wary of anyone touching them, not matter the reason.”

Jongin strokes his thumb over Minseok’s knuckles in silent comfort.

“But I know you would never do it to hurt me,” Minseok finishes, raising his head to look into Jongin’s eyes.

Jongin slowly shakes his head. “I wouldn’t. Ever.”

“I know.”

Minseok brings Jongin’s injured hand to his face and starts to nuzzle gently against the large bandaid there, making Jongin’s heart skip a beat. Then Minseok looks at him and leads Jongin’s fingers towards his head.

“You can touch them, if you want,” he says quietly and releases Jongin’s hand just above one of his ears.

Jongin’s breath catches in his throat and he swallows. His hand hangs there for a second before he slowly reaches to touch Minseok’s ear, his fingertips meeting with the soft fur.

Minseok’s eyes slip closed as Jongin explores, tracing the pointed tip, the gentle curve of the outline, feeling the hair tufts tickling his skin as he traces around the base. He scratches the back experimentally and Minseok turns into his hand, nuzzling his nose against his wrist.

It’s everything Jongin imagined, and yet more.

He halts in his movements when Minseok suddenly opens his eyes, the hybrid’s gaze pinning him down. Jongin’s pulse is like thunder in his ears, and he finds himself unable to resist leaning in as Minseok’s face starts getting closer, everything seemingly moving as if in slow motion.

And then their lips meet.

It’s like an electric spark through Jongin’s veins and he lets out a small gasp, his fingers fisting Minseok’s hair.

The hybrid’s lips are soft and warm as they slide against his own, and Jongin is pliant as he lets himself be pressed backwards into the couch cushion, Minseok’s mouth working his open.

A small sound escapes Jongin’s throat when Minseok slides his tongue between his lips, twisting and curling and making Jongin’s head spin.

The kisses slow down at some point and Jongin has to catch his breath when Minseok pulls away, hand slipping from Minseok’s hair to land beside his own head on the cushion.

A satisfied smile grazes Minseok’s lips, now pink and kiss-swollen, and Jongin is hit by a jolt low in his stomach. He’s so gorgeous.

“I’ve been wanting to do that for a long time now,” Minseok murmurs in a low voice, nosing at Jongin’s jaw, and Jongin’s breath hitches in his throat.

“R-Really?”

Minseok lets out a breath through his nose, almost amused. “Yes,” he breathes, trailing his nose from the underside of Jongin’s jaw to his mouth. “I really,” he presses a kiss to Jongin’s parted lips.

“Really.”

Another.

“Really like you, Jongin.”

Jongin shudders out a breath, mind racing as it processes that he isn’t alone in this, that Minseok _likes_ him, but thoughts trip over each other as Minseok kisses his way down his neck and over his clavicle.

“I like you too,” Jongin rushes out, fingers clutching Minseok’s sweater. “I like you too. A lot. I likeー”

Minseok cuts him off by slotting their lips together once again, pressing and sucking in a way that sets Jongin on fire, swiping his tongue over Jongin’s lips and slipping it into his mouth, and Jongin loses himself as they come together again and again and again.

They break away only for the need to come up for air, panting against each other. Jongin would gladly spend the rest of his days kissing Minseok, tasting him on his tongue, feeling the hybrid’s strength as he grips both of Jongin’s wrists.

Minseok smiles down at him, rubbing their noses together, and Jongin feels a giddy grin of his own taking over his lips. Minseok then makes himself more comfortable on top of Jongin and buries his face against his neck, nipping kisses on the skin.

“I can’t believe you like me back,” Jongin says as he stares at the ceiling, letting out an incredulous breath.

“Of course I do,” Minseok murmurs, not stopping his ministrations. “You’re kind and beautiful and selfless and you care about me,” he lifts his head to look into Jongin’s eyes. “I feel safe with you. I trust you. And I want to be with you.”

Jongin feels his heart swell at the words, the ones he’s wanted to hear from Minseok for months. He wraps him tight in his arms and tucks his face against the side of Minseok’s, breathing in. He slips his fingers through Minseok’s hair and starts petting him, the hybrid immediately starting to purr contently.

Jongin doesn’t know how much times passes, but at some point he dips his head to press a kiss to Minseok’s cheek to get his attention.

“Aren’t you hungry?” he asks, brow furrowed slightly. “You didn’t eat dinner.”

Minseok curls into himself to stretch and pushes himself up, sitting on Jongin’s thighs. He yawns lazily. “Actually, yeah,” he nods. “I want to eat your rice.”

Jongin chuckles and prompts him to climb off the couch to go into the kitchen, where they heat up the scantily eaten kimchi fried rice and proceed to wolf it down in record speed, Jongin feeling his appetite returning with a vengeance.

They get ready for bed after, Jongin smiling happily as Minseok tugs him closer under the covers, his pretty eyes glowing in the darkness, and Jongin leans in to kiss him again.

It’s a heady feeling, being able to do this to his heart’s content.

They kiss slowly and sleepily, and Jongin hums contently when Minseok scrapes his teeth across his bottom lip, sucking it into his mouth.

“Good night,” Jongin whispers against Minseok’s lips after finally pulling away.

Minseok rests his head on Jongin’s shoulder, the glow of his eyes disappearing as he closes them. “Good night.”

 

🜂

 

The next morning Jongin finds himself tangled tightly with Minseok, the hybrid pressing him down against the bed as usual as he sleeps peacefully on top of him. He silently thanks the fact that today is a Saturday and he doesn’t have to go to work. He wouldn’t have been able to find the strength to leave the hybrid’s side after everything that happened yesterday. As it is, Jongin brings the covers higher up over the both of them and falls back asleep, snuggling into the warmth.

The next time Jongin wakes up is to the tickling sensation of hair brushing against his face and warm, dry lips leaving kisses down the side of his neck. He smiles and opens his eyes.

“Morning,” he says and Minseok stops nuzzling his throat to look at him.

“Good morning.”

Jongin goes to lift a hand but winces when he feels his arm has fallen asleep under Minseok’s weight. He nudges Minseok with his shoulder, but the hybrid doesn’t budge. He nudges harder, jostling him.

“What?” Minseok huffs.

“My arm,” Jongin says. “It’s asleep. Believe it or not but you’re not exactly light as a feather.”

Minseok bites Jongin’s clavicle in retaliation, but still moves enough for Jongin to be able to free his arm. They settle into a more comfortable position for the both of them and Jongin finally cards a hand through Minseok’s hair, scratching his scalp and rubbing at his ears as the hybrid noses at his neck once again.

“You smell so good,” Minseok murmurs, taking a deep whiff. “You always do, but especially when your scent mixes with mine.”

Jongin feels his cheeks heat up. “O-Oh?”

Minseok nods, nuzzling against Jongin’s skin. “I don’t like it when other scents cover ours up. Sehun even teased me about it,” he adds with a huff.

“Oh,” Jongin breathes as realization hits him, Sehun’s words about scents when the two hybrids first met suddenly making sense. “That’s why you started rubbing yourself all over me that one time.”

“Yeah,” Minseok says with feeling, raising his head. “He said he couldn't smell my scent on you.”

The hybrid looks adorably affronted and Jongin laughs, pulling him down into a kiss. Minseok sighs into it.

“Breakfast?” Jongin suggests when they break away, and at Minseok’s nod they climb off the bed and shuffle into the kitchen to eat some toasts before settling on the couch.

Jongin isn’t really sure how he at some point ends up with Minseok in his lap, but he soon forgets about the world around them as the hybrid presses flush against his body and pries his lips open with his tongue.

“Minseok,” Jongin breathes as Minseok’s hands roam over his body, leaving a trail of fire through his clothes. “If this is too fastー”

Minseok shakes his head, capturing Jongin’s lips messily. “No,” he rushes out. “No, I want you.”

Jongin slips his hands under Minseok’s shirt and gasps when Minseok rolls his hips into his. Minseok kisses him deeply, thoroughly, and Jongin grips at his waist as they move together.

Minseok breaks away with a gasp. “Bedroom, Jonginnie?”

Jongin nods dazely and lets Minseok lead him into his bedroom, that’s been theirs for a while now, where they fall into bed, Jongin on top of Minseok.

Minseok tugs off Jongin’s shirt as they kiss, stopping to suck at the exposed skin of his shoulders. Jongin does the same with Minseok’s shirt and trails his lips down his chest, brushing at his nipples with his thumbs, making the hybrid arch his back. Jongin moans when he takes one into his mouth, reveling in Minseok’s hitched breaths as he licks and sucks at it, twisting the other with his fingers. He moves lower and hooks his hands into Minseok’s sweats and underwear, slipping them off and leaving him bare.

“Minseok,” he moans as he gathers the hybrid’s legs onto his arms, spreading them wide as he nips his way down his thighs, sucking a mark in the crease of his hip. Minseok’s cock is hard and flushed against his stomach and he doesn’t waste any time to take it into his mouth.

“Yes,” Minseok hisses, threading his fingers into Jongin’s hair. “Just like that,” he encourages as Jongin swirls his tongue around the head, circling the base with his fingers. “Jongin,” he moans, neck arching, when Jongin takes him in deeper.

Jongin revels in the heavy weight of Minseok on his tongue, stroking the shaft with it as he slides down to the base. Minseok’s fingers tug at his hair and he lets himself be pulled up, hollowing his cheeks as he goes, stopping to suck at the head once again.

Minseok hums, strained. “Like that, like that,” he moans, guiding Jongin where he wants him, making his head bob into a steady rhythm. Jongin sucks and slurps at Minseok’s cock, twisting his fingers in time with his tongue, until Minseok, panting heavily, yanks him off and pulls him into a kiss.

Jongin’s cock strains in his pants as he licks into Minseok’s mouth, letting him taste himself on his tongue. He breaks away after a few moments, breathless.

“C-Can I? I needー”

Minseok nods and spreads his legs wider in invitation, making himself comfortable on the bed. Jongin climbs off to kick off his sweats and underwear, fetching lube and a condom from his dresser before crawling back in between Minseok’s legs.

He lets out a soft moan at the sight of Minseok’s hole as he parts his cheeks, grazing a reverent finger over the puckered skin and watching as it pinches and clenches under the touch. He hurriedly pours lube on his fingers, warming it up before gently breaching Minseok’s rim.

Minseok sighs as Jongin’s finger presses in, going deeper until the knuckle touches his hole. “That’s right,” he says and relaxes onto the sheets, reaching down to pet Jongin’s hair, tail stroking his back.

Jongin kisses his thighs as he starts pumping his finger in and out, circling it around Minseok’s walls, grinding his erection slowly against the mattress at Minseok’s soft moans.

“Another,” Minseok coaxes him with a gentle tug of his hair and Jongin complies, slipping a second finger inside, spreading his hole as wide as it can go with the two fingers.

Minseok’s eyes slip closed, swollen lips parted as Jongin loosens him up with steady strokes, watching as the hybrid’s face flushes from the pleasure.

“You’re good at this,” Minseok praises with a hitched breath and Jongin keens, pushing in another finger and making Minseok moan loudly as he picks up speed, cock leaking on his belly.

Jongin curls his fingers up and satisfaction rushes through him when Minseok jolts with a gasp, hips rocking down onto Jongin’s hand. Jongin can’t take his eyes off of him and grinds heavily against the bed, creating a wet patch on the sheets, his cock aching with want as he feels Minseok spasm around his fingers.

Minseok squirms, brow furrowed as he meets every one of Jongin’s thrusts. “Yes,” he pants, chest heaving as Jongin fucks him with his fingers, hitting his prostate again and again. “There, Jongin, _there_.”

Jongin feels drunk on Minseok’s addictive sounds and he presses his pinky past his slick rim, moaning in time with Minseok as he spreads him open wider, makes him looser, Minseok’s walls clenching tight.

“Please,” Jongin whines. “M-Minseok. I need to be inside you.”

His breath is laboured and he lets out a moan when Minseok nods. He carefully slips his fingers out of his hole and grabs the condom, ripping it out of its wrapping and rolling it down onto himself. Minseok hooks his ankle around Jongin’s leg and flips them over, settling himself on top of Jongin. He swoops down to kiss Jongin and Jongin gasps against Minseok’s lips as he takes Jongin’s cock in his hand, pulling away with a smile and rising on his knees, lining it up against his hole.

Jongin forgets how to breathe as Minseok sinks down on him with a long satisfied moan, his hot, tight walls sucking him in inch after slow inch. The pressure is incredible and Jongin’s hands fly up to grip Minseok’s waist when he bottoms out.

“You feel so good, Jongin,” Minseok breathes as he circles his hips, making Jongin’s eyes roll back into his head. “So good,” he repeats, tail wrapping around Jongin’s wrist, and he pulls up only to slam back down.

Jongin groans and stares with wide eyes up at Minseok fucking himself on his cock, head tossed back in pleasure as he bounces up and down, hands gripping Jongin’s forearms. Minseok is panting, lewd moans sneaking past his parted lips and Jongin, desperate, has to work for each breath. He bucks his hips up and Minseok cries out as Jongin’s cock hits his prostate, making him falter in his movements, and he leans down to press their lips together in a sloppy, uncoordinated kiss.

Jongin keeps thrusting in, slamming into that spot over and over again, Minseok moaning against his mouth. The hybrid pushes himself up then, planting his hands onto Jongin’s chest for leverage, and starts riding him hard and fast, his flushed cock slapping against his stomach and leaving blotches of sticky precome.

Jongin moans brokenly, telltale tight knot clenching in his gut, and he blindly wraps one hand around Minseok’s cock, making a punched out noise escape from Minseok’s mouth, and he strips it with fast pumps until Minseok locks up and comes with a cry, spurting long and hot onto Jongin’s stomach. His muscles clamp around Jongin’s cock and Jongin gives a few more erratic thrusts into Minseok’s quivering hole before he comes as well, moaning as he shoots into the condom.

They slump together, sweaty and exhausted, their limbs giving out. Minseok presses closer as they catch their breath, rubbing his cheek against Jongin’s as he purrs.

“That was so good,” he praises and noses his way to Jongin’s mouth, lapping at his lips. Jongin smiles, eyes closed, and cards a hand through Minseok’s sweaty hair, scratching at the base of his ears.

They kiss some more before Minseok pulls off Jongin’s spent dick to clean them up, crawling back onto the bed after he’s done and moving to lie on Jongin’s chest.

They fall asleep like that, wrapped around each other, Jongin feeling entirely content, happy, as Minseok’s purring fills the quiet of the room.

 

 

 

 

🜂🜂🜂

 

 

 

Jongin huffs as he closes the front door behind himself and he quickly toes off his shoes to go into the kitchen and drop off the heavy grocery bags he’s carrying. He glances at the clock on the wall, barely suppressing a groan. They’re going to be late.  

“Minseok,” he calls as he steps into the living room and towards the couch where a kitty-eared form is sprawled comfortably, tail swaying lazily. “Get up, naptime over.”

The tail stops moving and Minseok keeps still, even letting out a little snore.

Jongin snorts, crouching in front of the couch. He expected as much. This happens way too often and Minseok isn’t as stealthy as he likes to think he is.

“C’mon, get up,” he cards a hand through Minseok’s hair, scratching at his scalp a little. “We gotta be at Kyungsoo and Sehun’s house in twenty minutes.”

Minseok stubbornly keeps his eyes closed, pretending to still be asleep.

“C’mon,” Jongin huffs and shakes him a little. Minseok’s tail starts irritatedly thumping against the cushion. “The deal was that you could keep sleeping until I got back from the grocery store!”

When Minseok still doesn’t give any signs of acknowledging him, Jongin gives an exasperated sigh.

Fine.

He reaches over and tugs at Minseok’s tail.

Minseok springs up with a shrieked meow and snatches his tail, clutching it to his chest as he glares at Jongin.

Jongin grins angelically. “Awake now?”

Minseok doesn’t answer and only keeps glaring at Jongin, petting his tail.

“That serves you well, you know.”

Minseok glares harder.

Jongin huffs out a laugh, shaking his head. “You’re so dramatic. It was just a little tug, you barely felt it.”

Minseok sniffs indignantly and looks down to smooth his tail.

“C’mon,” Jongin says in a coaxing tone and leans forward with a smile. “Don’t be grumpy. Don’t tell me you got offended now.”

He stretches his neck to catch Minseok’s lips in a quick kiss but Minseok instead lunges at him with a sudden hiss.

It startles Jongin and he stumbles, falling on his back on the floor.

Minseok cackles as he crawls off the couch and on top of Jongin, tail curling and uncurling at the tip. “You’re so easy to spook.”

Jongin groans.

“Now we’re even.”

Jongin meets Minseok’s eyes, deadpan. “I hate you.”

“Is that so?” Minseok says, eyebrows raised. “I remember you saying you love me, though.”

“You said it first!”

Minseok’s eyes widen in fake surprise. “I don’t recall saying anything of the sort.”

Jongin opens his mouth to retort but whatever he was going to say gets interrupted by Minseok kissing him. Defeated for now but still loving it, Jongin sighs and parts his lips easily for Minseok, letting him tangle their tongues together.

“We’re definitely late now,” Jongin mumbles after way too long.

“I can’t kiss you if you insist on talking.” Minseok grumbles, frowning.  

Jongin gives another sigh, mostly half-hearted, and opens his mouth for Minseok’s tongue once again.

“Good boy,” Minseok smiles, his pleased purring starting to vibrate low in his chest.

 

 

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The end!!!!!!!! <333
> 
> What did you guys think? I hope you liked this story! Let me know! <3
> 
> (go to the next chapter for a little bonus hehe)


	2. BONUS

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's a little bonus for you guys! 
> 
> Originally, when I was still planning out the fic, I pictured the scene where our jealous kitty Minseok rubs himself all over Jongin to be in Minseok's POV, but then I ended up writing the whole story in Jongin's POV. I still really liked what I had come up for the scene in Minseok's POV though and I didn't want it to go to waste, so I decided to write it anyway and include it as a little bonus! 
> 
> Enjoy <3

Minseok looks wearily at the hybrid in front of him, careful to keep a detached look on his face as he does. The hybrid looks harmless enough, the smile on his face softening his sharp features and making his eyes crinkle up into crescents, and Minseok, begrudgingly, has to admit it looks cute. His scent is fresh, still that of a kitten, so he must be at least a few years younger than him.

Minseok has never been possessive, mostly because he’s never had anything to be possessive over in his life, but seeing how this new cat just strolled in and started rubbing himself all over Jongin… it had made all sorts of alarm bells go off in his head.

“You’re awfully cheerful,” he says at last, just as Jongin and his friend Kyungsoo come back into the living room and settle on the couch.

The cat, Sehun, smiles wider. “I always am when I visit Jongin.”

Minseok’s eyes narrow. “Is that so?”

Sehun nods eagerly. “I love Jongin,” he tells him, very nearly wriggling in his excitement as he speaks. What is he, a dog? “He’s super nice and smells good and is the kindest. He always plays with me and he gives the best scratches between the ears. After Kyungsoo,” he adds as an afterthought.

Minseok very nearly scoffs at the words, back straightening, and something ugly twists sharply inside his stomach. He already knows all of that. He already knows that Jongin is the nicest and kindest human in the world. And that he smells good. Actually, Jongin’s scent is the best Minseok has ever smelled. Warm and sweet and a little earthy. Safe. Minseok loves to wrap himself in it and Jongin smells even better when their scents mix together. _His_ and Jongin's.

So he _knows._

Except perhaps for what Jongin's petting feels like...

The thought stings.

“You know he fed _me_ and took _me_ home, right?” Minseok says impulsively, tail starting to thump on the carpet.

“Jongin feeds me too when I come here.”

“Well, it's _me_ he returns home to every day after work,” he fires back. “It’s _me_ he expects to see.”

Sehun just looks at him, serene. Minseok can’t stand it.

“Also that's _my_ scent all over him!”

Something mischievous flashes in Sehun’s eyes and suddenly he doesn’t look as harmless as he did a moment ago. “What scent?”

A gasp is torn from Minseok’s throat and he whips his head towards Jongin, meeting his beautiful eyes for a second before Kyungsoo catches his attention again.

He’s aghast. It can’t be possible, Sehun must be lying. Jongin _does_ smell like Minseok. He’s made sure of that, surreptitiously leaving his scent around the house and Jongin’s stray clothes.

Something snaps inside him and he's up and clambering into Jongin’s lap in a second. Wide eyes meet his when Jongin turns his head, but he doesn’t give him time to say anything before diving forward.

He starts from Jongin’s face, determinedly rubbing his cheeks where Sehun had plastered himself earlier. He can smell his foreign scent there, clashing with theirs. He doesn’t like it one bit, so he rubs harder.

“Um… what’s going on?”

The vibrations of Jongin’s voice directs Minseok’s attention to Jongin’s throat and he noses down lower to nuzzle against it. He’s thinking of nipping the soft skin there for good measure when he hears Sehun’s innocent voice.

“Nothing, we were just talking about scents.”

Minseok stops what he’s doing and lifts his head to glare at the cat. The _audacity._

Sehun meets his eyes, the smirk that’s curving his lips smug, and suddenly it dawns on him. This had been Sehun’s plan all along. To rile him up. And embarrassingly enough, he’s fallen for it. As if he were nothing more than a freshly weaned kitten.

He buries his face back into Jongin’s neck, rubbing against him to dispel some of the tension in his body with Jongin’s comforting scent.

Calm instantly washes through him when Jongin starts stroking his back and Minseok relaxes in Jongin’s arms, pillowing his cheek onto Jongin’s shoulder, soothed like he hasn’t been in years as their scents mix together perfectly. He doesn’t think he ever wants to let go. He doesn’t think he _can._

A thought flits through his head.

This might have also been part of Sehun’s evil plan all along.

He ignores it.

 

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That's it! Thank you so much for reading until the end <33


End file.
